FIGHTING BIG OIL

In November Californians will have an opportunity to shout “NO!” to Big-Oil. 

SOME BACKGROUND:  California’s new clean air law, the Global Warming Solutions Act — AB 32 — was passed four years ago in order to hold industry accountable for their pollution, and is California’s landmark clean-air legislation.  This law puts California in the forefront of the new clean-technology industry by jump-starting innovation and the new clean energy businesses.  Hundreds of thousands of new jobs are being created in California and once again California is leading the nation in the new economy.  

So, natually, oil companies are doing all they can to keep California and the country hooked on oil – with San Antonio-based Valero Energy and Tesoro Corp. in the lead.   They’re claiming to want to protect us and save jobs in our communities.  In fact, Silicon Valley investors who are backing so many of the new green technology companies, tell us that passing Prop 23 will COST California 500,000 jobs! 

Lost jobs, falling further and further behind other countries in the new green businesses, continuing to pollute the air we breathe, and remaining hooked on oil.  That’s what Big-Oil wants for America.  Makes you wonder, doesn’t it, if these Texas oil men really have our country’s best interest at heart?  Geez — and they called us unpatriotic when we questioned the Iraq war!  

Essentially being hooked on oil means being hooked on foreign oil, because we don’t have enough oil to supply our needs, and so to be hooked on oil means buying two-thirds of our oil from foreign sources.  Period. 

If enacted by voters, Prop 23 would freeze the provisions of AB 32 until California’s unemployment rate drops to 5.5% or below for four consecutive quarters.  California’s unemployment rate, which currently is around 12%, has been at 5.5% or below for four consecutive quarters only three times since 1980! 

Clearly, Prop 23 is essentially an attempt by Big-Oil to kill California’s anti-pollution law and keep the state and the country on the oil standard.

C A L I F O R N I A  —  V O T E  N O  ON  P R O P O S I T I O N  2 3 !